A call center is a system that enables a staff of call center agents to service telephone calls to or from the customers or other constituents of an organization. Typically, calls are distributed and connected to agents that are available at the time of the call or are otherwise most suited to handle the call. The call-distribution function, commonly referred to as automatic call distribution ("ACD"), is generally implemented in software that executes in a switching system, such as a private branch exchange, that connects customer calls to agent telephones. A workforce management ("WFM") component is often employed by a call center to schedule and manage agent staffing and call center capacity.
More recently, computer-telephony integration ("CTI") has been widely employed in call centers. In a typical call center, a CTI component conveys telephony information, such as the telephone number of the calling party and the identity of the agent to whom the call is connected, from the ACD switching system to other components of the call center system. The other components of the call center system typically use this information to send relevant database information, such as the account file of the calling party, across a local area network ("LAN") or other communications network to a data terminal of the agent to whom the call is connected. The CTI component, other system components, and the LAN can also be used to deliver other information to the agents.
More generally, the business function provided by a call center may be extended to other communications media and to contact with constituents of an organization other than customers. For example, an e-mail help desk may be employed by an organization to provide technical support to its employees. Web-based "chat"-type systems may be employed to provide information to sales prospects. When a broadband communications infrastructure is more widely deployed, systems for the delivery of broadband information, such as video information, to a broad range of constituents through constituent contact centers will likely be employed by many organizations.
Agents in call centers and other constituent contact centers must be well-trained in order to maximize their productivity and effectiveness. Agent training must be intensive and frequent in centers that handle complex interactions with constituents or that change call scripts or other interaction programs often. In many situations, the quality and effectiveness of agent training may significantly drive the performance of the call center.
In conventional call centers, training is provided to call center agents through a variety of mechanisms. The supervisor of the call center may simply walk over to individual agents, or place telephone calls to the individual agents, and pass on new information to the agents personally. New information may be distributed by email, by an instructor in a classroom setting, or over an intranet. Alternatively, the information may be broadcast over a public announcement system or may be displayed on a large wall display at the front of the call center. New information may also be provided through a "chair drop" by which written information updates or training materials are handed to the agents for their consumption.
More recently, automated methods for agent training and information updating have been developed. Computer-based training ("CBT") involves the distribution of training programs to an agent's computer desktop, to a dedicated terminal, or to a classroom. CBT may be distributed in a broadcast mode, with each agent receiving the same training at the same time. CBT would be more effectively deployed if it allowed individual agents to access desktop training materials that are tailored to each agent's particular needs and skills shortcomings. In self-directed CBT, each agent takes the initiative to enter a training session and to select appropriate training materials so that the pace and content of the training can reflect individual agent learning rates and base knowledge. Some CBT systems schedule the delivery of training materials to agents at times when call center volume is slow, when the agent needs a break, or at other times. These systems thus enable call center management to integrate call center workload management with agent skills training. An advantageous method and system for scheduling the delivery of training materials to the agent is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/442,207, filed Nov. 16, 1999, which application is assigned to the assignee of the present application and is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
While computer-based training methods provide a significant improvement in training effectiveness, efficiency, and sophistication to call centers and other constituent contact centers, conventional CBT-based training systems have significant drawbacks. Broadcast CBT systems deliver uniform training to all agents regardless of individual agent skill levels, and those systems do not accommodate the large variations in learning rate or base knowledge that can exist among agents. While self-directed CBT enables agents to learn at their own pace and to select training materials addressing their own skills shortcomings, conventional self-directed training is not amenable to centralized management and control by the call center. For example, conventional self-directed CBT depends on the agent's self-evaluation of his own skill shortcomings. Moreover, conventional CBT systems do not automatically tailor training materials assignment to agents based on an objective evaluation of each agent's skills and performance. In addition, conventional call center training systems are not integrated with call center workforce management, ACD and quality monitoring systems. As a result, call centers employing conventional CBT systems and techniques are unable to tailor training to the needs of individual agents.